It snowed in Texas this week – a flurry of white, briefly, that in the darkness of early evening, made our Christmas lights twinkle wildly. If my kids were young enough and natives of this state, they might have gone outside and played – but they grew up in New England, and deem themselves too cool for snowmen (at least in miniature). While we won’t quite be empty-nesters, another will graduate this year: when he comes home next year in Winter, it won’t be full of homework an